Tuesday 31 January 2012

Atta halwa

Hi folks.....this halwa happens to be a hot favourite with my kids.I  am not calling it kadha prasad...because the basic requirment for something to be called a prasad is that it be offered to god first.Although the recipe is the same...but i'm going to go with halwa..
INGRDS
1. 1 cup atta(whole wheat flour)
2. 1/2 cup ghee(clarified butter)
3. 1 cup sugar
4. 2 cups water
METHOD
1. In a saucepan put the sugar and water together,heat it ..let it come to a boil ..stir so that the sugar has completely dissolved and put the flame off.
2. In a heavy bottomed pan(i use a kadhai),put the ghee..let it melt..then add the atta and now stir away.You got to keep stirring this or it will stick to the bottom of the pan...keep stirring till the atta turns a nice golden brown....its hard work..i agree....look on the bright side..you're burning calories and you're going to eat the halwa,which is'nt exactly fat free....so stir away.




3. When the atta turns a nice golden brown,add  the sugar syrup..stir like crazy...keep stirring the lumps will go away..i promise.When there are no lumps and the halwa comes together nicely(this happens pretty fast)...get it of the flame ,put in a serving bowl and serve!My kids were standing with spoons ready to dig in...i had to fight them off to the the pics!N'joy.

Sunday 29 January 2012

lazy cooks beans foogath

Hi folks........first the recipe..then my ranting...this is a nice n simple way to do beans..also called beans Upkari..or more commanly called beans with coconut in my house.
INGRDS
1.500gms french beans,chopped into small pcs
2. 1 medium sized onion chooped fine
3. 1 green chilli chopped fine
4. curry leaves-1 sprig
5. 1 tsp mustard seeds
6. 1 tblsp chana dal(optional)
7. 2 tblsp grated coconut
8. salt to taste.
METHOD
1.Heat 1 tblsp coconut oil in a kadhai,splutter the mustard seeds.
2.Add chana dal,saute...then add the onion,green chilli and curry leaves..saute.
3.Add the beans,salt and just a sprinkle of water.Cover and cook on a low flame.
4.Cook till the beans are done and the water has evaporated.
5.Add the coconut,stir well and put off the flame.



6. Serve hot.
Now onto my promised ranting...after much arm twisting,i finally took the car out on my own into town and came to the following conclusions
1.I HATE driving..i would much rather be driven and
2.I HATE driving..i would much rather be driven...... cant say it often enough.I do not know if this makes be unemancipated,a blot on womankind or plain stupid!The bliss of staring out of the car window,making inane comments and singing offkey can only happen if you're comfortably seated next to SOMEONELSE driving! I rest my case.:)

Saturday 28 January 2012

lazy cooks sticky chicken wings

These sticky chicken wings are truely divine...I saw the recipe on Heather Christo's blog ....here
As it so happens i had only half the ingrds..so i added a few of my own and we were all pretty happy with the results....the only thing wrong was the quantity...i should have made more!
INGRDS
1. 1/2 kg chicken wing(this was too less)
2. flour,salt
3. oil for deep frying
4. sauce ingrds
a. 1 tablespoon brown sugar
b. 1 tablespoon honey
c. 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic-green chilli paste(obviously!)
d. 1 tablespoon soya sauce
e. 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
f.  1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
g. 1 teaspoon cornflour
h. 1 tablespoon oil/butter
METHOD
1. In a plate,spread out some flour ,i seasoned with salt,pepper  and garlic powder.Put the wings here,coat them nicely with the flour and deep fry in hot oil till they turn a light golden brown and are cooked.
2.Put all the ingrds of the sauce in a bowl,stir well,in a pan heat the 1 tablespoon of oil/butter,add the sauce and mix well and fast..it becomes pretty thick..pretty fast.
3.Toss the chicken wings in the hot sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.Serve hot.

 
4.DIVINE!!!finger licking good....i promise you.Make lots.It'll just vanish. 

lazy cooks veg fried rice


Hello everyone....first and foremost i have no idea what is going on with this server..there are people who take the time a d effort to comment on my posts(i love you guys)but only some of the comments are visible on my post.,the rest i see on my mail..WHY?Is there a way out?I would love to have all the comments on my post.If someone knows how to get around this problem..would you please let me know?
A chinese person may object strongly to my version of fried rice..so what i'm saying is that it may not be very authentic..but its my version and i love it.Lunch was fried rice and sticky chicken wings.
INGRDS
1. 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
2. 1 tsp vinegar
3. 2 tsp soya sauce
4. green chilli sauce
5. 1 1/2 diced veg(i had carrots,french beans,spring onions)
6. 1 inch finely chopped ginger
7. salt to taste
8. 2 eggs(optional)
METHOD
1.Wash,soak for a while..then boil the rice.After it has boiled,spread on a flat plate to dry a little.
2.In a heavy bottomed wok(kadhai),put about a 2tsp of veg oil,add the ginger and fry for a min...then add the veg,the soya sauce,green chilli sauce and vinegar.Cover and let it cook for a few mins.
3.Now add the rice and toss and toss till its well mixed....add salt to taste.


4. Make a 2 egg omelette ,add only salt.Then cut the egg into little diamonds,or whatever you want.......garnish the rice with this.

lazy cooks coffee caramel custard

Hi!My sweet tooth is going to get me into lots of trouble with the doc. real soon.I always maintained that a person can only expand so much..and no more..like reach an optimal level.(of fatness)Anyway i am proved wrong 'coz i continue to expand widthways.Sad..sad...so to cheer myself up(!)..i made this caramel custard  ...with coffee because the rest of the members in my house are coffee mad.Need i say that this is frightfully easy to do?
INGRDS
 1.450 mls milk
2. 3 eggs
3. 3 tablespoons of sugar
4. 1tsp vanilla essence
5. 1tsp(heaped)coffee powder
6. 5 ramekins
7. 5 teaspoons of brown sugar 

METHOD
1.Beat the eggs and sugar in a bowl till golden and frothy.Add the vanilla essence.
2.Boil the milk..cool it just a little then add to the sugar-egg mix,beat like crazy.Add the coffee powder(this is optional)
3.Put 1 tsp of brown sugar in each ramekin,thereafter pour the custard in these,put into a baking tray,fill up halfway with water(the tray)..into a hot oven(180degC)for 45-50 mins.( stick a skewer  into the custard..if it comes out clean the custard is done.)


4.Remove from the oven and allow to cool.Thats it..you can turn it out..or simply serve in the ramekin.yum!.and brown sugar is good for you.....as are eggs...milk is required for calcium..so all in all a pretty healthy dessert!O K..maybe not...but i feel good 'bout it.
sending this to 
Linking to Kid's Delight hosted by Edible Entertainment

Thursday 26 January 2012

lazy cooks methi pulao

Hi everyone!I made this for lunch yesterday..along with some chettinad chicken.This is pretty easy to do,really healthy..and tasty.
INGRDS
1. 2 cups rice(i use basmati),washed and soaked in water for 1/2 an hour.
2. 2 cups methi(fenugreek) leaves washed and chopped fine.
3. 2 medium sized potatoes chopped into small cubes.
4. 3 mediun sized tomatoes chopped fine.
5. 8 cloves of garlic,pound together with 1 green chilli
6. salt to taste,1/2 tsp each of tumeric,black pepper and chilli powdr and 1 heaped tsp of corriander powder
METHOD
1. In a kadhai(a wide heavy bottomed wok!),add 1tablespoon of oil(any veg. oil..i usually use olive pomace),add the garlic-green chilli,fry for a few mins,as the colour starts changing add the tomatoes and the spices.Fry this well,when the masala comes together...add the methi and potato..cover and cook till the potatoes are almost done(5-7 mins).
2.Now add the drained rice and double the quantity of water,stir well..let it come to a boil,then cover with a lid,reduce the flame to mediun....and walk away.I went to take this picture.
3.After about 12-15 mins check on the rice..it should be done.
4.I garnished with some grated coconut...serve with some raita,papad and pickle........or some lovely spicy chicken.

lazy cooks blackcurrant cheesecake

Hello all!How are you?I was in a real blue funk because of a really weird friend.She was unwell,i sent her some food.....She handed over the whole lot to her maid...because she considered the food that i had sent across dirty.......because i have dogs at home!!!!!!!!!!I oscillated between being upset,being angry and now i'm just confused.....anyway onto better stuff....I made this cheesecake to cheer me up.It is a rachel allen recipe tweaked like crazy.I don't get mascarpone out here..nor do i get blueberries...I do get amazingly fresh cottage cheese..which is what i have used...I sent some across to my friend manisha ,coz talking to her is also a great "pick me up".
INGRDS
1.200gms biscuits(use digestive if you have...i had glucose biscuits)
2.75 gms butter
3.400gms paneer(cottage cheese)
5.150 gms sugar
6.1/2 -3/4 cup of milk
7. 3eggs
8. 3 tablespoons of blackcurrant crush(or any crush that you have )
9. a springform tin.(loose bottomed tin)
METHOD

1.Pound the biscuits a little(i pound them a lot...good for  venting steam!),throw them in the mixer and powder them.Melt the butter,pour over the biscuits,mix really well,then spread on the bottom of the springform tin.Smoothen it out and put in the refrigerator.
Process
2.Take the paneer,chop up roughly and throw in the food processor. Process for 1 min...it'll totally crumble......now add the rest of the stuff(sugar,eggs,milk(first only 1/2 cup)and the blackcurrant crush)Process away...till you get a lovely creamy consistency(i had to add the rest of the milk.)BTW.....i processed for 2 mins....it was enough.
3.Pour the mix onto the biscuit base..and put into a preheated oven at 160degC for 50 mins. 
4.After the cheesecake has cooled down,take it out of the tin and put more blackcurrant crush on top.Thereafter cut a nice big slice for yourself and feel better about life! sending this tohttp://pumpkinfarmfood.blogspot.com/2011/12/bake-fest-new-year-event-2012.html further linked tohttp://vardhiniskitchen.blogspot.com/p/bake-fest-hosting-schedule.htmland to ramyashttp://ramyasrecipe.blogspot.com/2012/01/abc-series-desserts_06.htmland tohttp://teenzyummydelights.blogspot.com/2012/01/sending-lil-valentine-love-your-way.html
and tohttp://anzzcafe.com/event-valentines-special/#comment-3053

Monday 23 January 2012

lazy cooks chocolate peppermint cupcakes

Hi everyone....you know your friends are good friends when you meet after years and years and it seems like you'd met yesterday.In Mumbai on the 5th of jan i met up with an old friend  after 12 years and it was great!This one's for you Cheryl.


this is an old and grainy photograph..we're not THAT old!
INGRDS
1 2 cups flour
2 1/2 cup cocoa pdr
3 1tsp baking soda
4 1/2 cup oil





5 1 1/4 cup of sugar
6 3 eggs
7 1 tsp vanilla essence
8 1 cup of butter milk(since i never have this...i simply put 2tsp vinegar in 1 cup of milk and leave it for 5 mins)
ICING
1 100 gms dark chocolate
2 100 gms cream
3 100 gms condensed milk(why not?)
4 peppermint essence..a few drops
METHOD
1.Pre-heat the oven(180degC)
2.Sieve the dry ingrds together(flour,cocoa pdr and baking soda) 
3.Beat the sugar,oil and eggs...add the vanilla essence...then the dry ingrds and the buttermilk.Beat till bubbles appear.Thereafter,put the cupcake cups in the muffin pan..and pour the mix in it till 3/4 of the cup.I find it easier to simply put it into a measuring cup and pour from there.
4. Bake for 17-20 mins.
ICING
1.Thawack the chocolate ,so that there are no big chunky bits,put in a pan along with the cream and condensed milk,put this pan on the stove on a low flame...it'll melt and come together,when it's nice n smooth take it off and add the peppermint essence(a few drops are good enough)



2.Now hold the cupcake by its bottom and dunk it in,take it out and ...sprinkle it with sprinkles real quick...and we're done.